


Outbreak

by jesustakethewii (canonmerlinisatwink)



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-07-16
Updated: 2013-10-05
Packaged: 2017-12-20 09:36:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/885729
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/canonmerlinisatwink/pseuds/jesustakethewii
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Michael and Lindsay finally tie the knot, Gavin goes back to London with Dan, intent on hiding away until he can face the happy couple again. While waiting for their flight, however, a mass infection breaks out, causing Dan and Gavin to flee for their lives, while Lindsay and Michael go out in search for their friends. Thus begins four people's struggle for survival, with adventure, romance, and huge amounts of angst in between.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> betas: elevenfeathers and countertenoraria

**March 23, 2014, 9:00 | Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Austin, TX**

_“All passengers boarding United Airlines flight 552 bound for Barcelona please proceed to the waiting area through exit 14. I repeat, all passengers boarding United Airlines flight 552 bound for Barcelona please proceed to the waiting area through exit 14.”_

Dan checks his watch. 9 AM. Another couple of hours before they have to board their own flight to London. He turns to find Gavin dragging his suitcase from the airport security check and towards him; he looks tired.

 

“Do you want to go get some tea, first?” He asks Gavin. The man blinks at him and shakes his head.

 

“I’m fine,” says Gavin. Dan nods awkwardly.

 

“Well,” he says, adjusting the strap of his backpack on his shoulder. “Let’s go wait for our plane, then.”

 

It doesn’t surprise him that Gavin remains quiet as they navigate the crowded hall of the airport. They arrive in the waiting room, which is already filled to bursting with passengers bound for the 11:15 plane to Heathrow. Dan spots an empty pair of seats and leads his friend to them.

 

“B, are you hungry?” He asks as they finally sit down, Gavin taking out his iPhone to play a couple of games while waiting.

 

“Not really, no,” Gavin mutters as he opens an app and proceeds to lose himself in the game. Dan nods again and sighs inwardly. _Well, if you’re going to be like that…_

 

He rummages through his bag and takes out a book. Another public announcement sounds through the room, this time calling forward a specific passenger. The hustle and bustle of the airport becomes lost on Dan as he pretends to be engrossed in his John Grisham novel, his head swimming with the events that transpired the day before.

 

\--

 

**March 22, 2014, 19:45 | Avalon Wedding Gardens, Austin, TX**

It was a beautiful day for a wedding. The night air was crisp and the guests were happily milling about in the elaborate outdoor reception. The newly-married couple was engaged in a lively conversation in one of the tables, the bride letting out a loud guffaw at a joke that was just made. Beside her, the groom was staring at his wife’s laughing face, his expression fond.

 

“Jesus, Lindsay, stop laughing at everything Ray says. It wasn’t _that_ funny,” said Geoff sulkily after taking a swig of his beer.

 

“This is a good night, Geoff. I’m feeling particularly charitable,” said Lindsay after she managed to calm down. Ray rolled his eyes at their boss and, proceeding to ignore him, started to regale his audience with another vaguely amusing narrative.

 

Dan was sitting in the bar just several feet away, a small smile on his face as he listened to Ray fumble through his punch line, nursing a glass of coke in his own hand. He waited for a familiar laugh to sound through the reception, the smile falling from his face when it didn’t come. He turned and searched the place for that certain mop of brown-blond hair.

 

_Where the bloody hell is he?_

It wasn’t a good sign. The best man wasn’t supposed to leave in the middle of the reception. Well, he did already give his speech, which was quite brilliant, all things considered, but his presence was still important.

 

Upon being invited to the wedding, Dan had taken it upon himself to make sure that Gavin Free didn’t make an arse out of himself as Michael Jones’ best man. It was one of those best friend duties that came without asking.

 

Gavin certainly didn’t ask him to come and play guardian angel all throughout the wedding, but the man’s face that night Dan had arrived from the plane to Austin was all it took for him to make a decision. They were all his friends, yes, but Gavin _needed_ him. He had to be there for his best mate.

 

Which was why he made the executive decision to stay absolutely sober all throughout the reception and be in charge of making sure the best man doesn’t lose his marbles over dinner. Dan set down his drink and left the party, searching the gardens for his missing friend.

 

He found Gavin scuffing his newly-bought shoes on the dirt near one of the many stone fountains. The man didn’t even bother to acknowledge him.

 

“You should get back,” said Dan matter-of-factly. Gavin ignored him and proceeded to continue ruining his shoes.

 

“Stop. You just bought those.” Dan said, walking over to place a hand on Gavin’s shoulder. He could feel the man still. “Do you want us to leave?” He said after a moment’s silence.

 

Gavin didn’t answer.

 

“I could always say you got a case of bad stomach,” Dan offered. Gavin gave a wry chuckle at that.

 

“I… I guess that could work,” said Gavin, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

 

“Right,” said Dan, pulling his hand back in his pockets. “We’ll go back to my hotel and get absolutely plastered, alright? No need for you to do that here, not where everyone can see.”

 

Gavin was silent for a moment. “Thank you,” he said eventually, turning to look at Dan. His face was pale and his expression sombre. Dan swallowed and nodded.

 

“Anything for you, B,” he said, giving him a small grin. “You want to go wait in the car?”

 

“Yeah,” said Gavin, running a hand through his hair and breathing out a chuckle. His eyes were a bit wet. The day was bearing its weight on him, Dan could tell. “I—I don’t think I can face them right now, to be honest.”

 

Dan nodded again. “Okay,” he said, turning to leave. “I’ll go say goodbye for you.”

 

Gavin’s relieved expression made Dan feel like his heart was going to split in two. He walked away before he could let his friend see how all of this—this _charade_ —was making him want to pack Gavin up in a box and take him back to Oxfordshire, where theywouldn’t be able to hurt him.

 

Dan would if he could. He certainly had _tried_ , so many times before. He’d learned his lesson, though.

 

Gavin, that bloody fool of a _masochist,_ would always want to come back.

 

\--

 

**March 23, 2014, 9:23 | Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Austin, TX**

The silence weighs on Dan as he pretends to be interested in the three hundred-page narrative of formulaic court mystery in his hand. He sneaks a small glance at his companion. Gavin is still playing with his phone.

 

Dan resists the urge to sigh. They stay like that for the next half hour, neither of the two speaking, until Gavin surprises him by standing up and tucking his phone back into his pocket.

 

“I need to go to the bathroom,” he informs Dan quietly, to which the man nods, shaken out of his stupor, and proceeds to watch his friend make his way through the crowd and into the passageway that leads to the toilets.

 

Dan wonders if it will be like that for the rest of the flight. If he is lucky, Gavin would get back to his normal self as soon as they get to England and they would be able to make their videos together, but Dan knows better. It would probably take a few weeks before the man would stop moping about.

 

Dan needs to find a way to get Gavin out of his shell.

 

He puts down his novel and bites his lip. _What to do, what to do…_

 

As he begins thinking of ways to cheer Gavin up once they get back to Oxfordshire, the relative silence is disrupted by a loud scream.

 

“What the fuck?” The man beside him stands up to look for the source of the noise. The people in the room stop whatever they were doing and begin whispering in panic.

 

“What’s happening?”

 

“What is that scream? Is someone being attacked?”

 

Dan can see the port authority guards stand at attention, their hands drawing to their weapon holsters as one of the men walks around in search of the disruption.

 

Another shout is heard. This time, it is followed by low, growling noises.

 

The feeling of panic starts to rise in the room. People are scared. Dan can hear them packing their bags and preparing to leave.

 

The airport announcer sounds through the room. _“All passengers please stay in your respective waiting areas. Do not evacuate. We repeat, do not evacuate. Airport security is taking care of the disturbance, so please remain seated and wait for your flights.”_

The port authority are now going about trying to reassure the passengers already wanting to go out of the waiting area. Dan grabs his own bag and slings it over his shoulder, taking in the situation.

 

A third scream issues through the room. A crashing sound follows, along with the previously heard inhuman growling. Dan’s ears pick up the sound’s source. It’s coming from one of the airport bathrooms.

 

His blood freezes. _Gavin._

He stands up and makes to the bathroom. One of the guards rush over to him and puts a warning hand on his shoulder.

 

“Stay where you are, sir, security is taking care of the situation.”

 

Dan opens his mouth to argue, but is cut off by a woman’s loud gasp.

 

“Oh my god!”

 

He turns to see a woman stumbling out of the hallway leading to the bathroom. Her face is pale and her eyes bulging in shock. Her breath is coming out in small, choking noises. His eyes trail down to her neck, where a large chunk of flesh appears to be torn out by a set of strong, blunt teeth.

 

Everyone in the room is dead silent. The lady stares at them for a brief moment, then collapses. One of the port authority guards rush over to check her vitals.

 

“Carlson, wait!” Another guard shouts. The man stops, looks up, and sees another man coming up behind the fallen woman. He looks sicker than she is, and his skin has a greenish tinge to it, but more importantly, his mouth is bloodied. As if he had been devouring a corpse.

 

He also has a huge, distinct bite mark on his left arm.

 

The room breaks into a pandemonium. People are fleeing, taking their kids outside and away from the monster that everyone had thought to only exist in mass-produced video games and blockbuster films. One of the guards aims a shot at the man’s head. He falls down, his brain blown into smithereens.

 

That isn’t the end of it, though. Several people are already walking out of the hallway. They all look the same as the last man, with pale, sickly skin, bloodshot eyes and huge bite marks. They are making the same low, predatory growls.

 

Dan shouts, horrified. “Gavin!” He runs to the bathroom, dodging people and guards trying to help everyone evacuate safely. Only one thought is prevalent in his mind. _Please don’t let Gavin be dead. Please don’t let Gavin be dead. Please—_

 

One of the guards try to block him, and he socks the man with an attack he learned while in service. Luckily, no one was paying attention, all the guards preoccupied with the ensuing chaos. He grabs the man’s weapon and dashes to the men’s bathroom, only to find another one of the infected beating down a closed cubicle door with its fists.

 

Dan doesn’t hesitate. He shoots the man in the head and runs to the stall, opening it to find Gavin cowering in the corner beside the toilet.

 

“Dan—”

 

“No time to talk. Run!” He grabs Gavin’s arm and pulls him out of the bathroom.

 

They make their way through the stampede of people trying to escape to the larger hall of the airport. The PA system sounds through the corridors, telling everyone to follow the airport security personnel to the nearest safe area in the airport building and to stay there.

 

They follow the crowd and make it to the airport check-in point. Masses of passengers are congregated in the large hall, guarded by airport security armed with M4s and M16s. Gavin starts to go in, but Dan grabs his arm and pulls him back.

 

“We need to get out of here,” he whispers urgently.

 

“What?” Gavin says, confused.

 

Dan shakes his head. “We can’t stay. I know this—I know what’s going to happen to these people. We can’t stay here, B. Let’s go.”

 

Gavin stares at him, swallows, and nods. He follows Dan and the pair blends through the crowd, letting the distraction of the general chaos prevent the guards from noticing them as they slip out.

 

They make it to an abandoned corridor. The sign for a fire exit could be seen at the end of the hallway.

 

“Let’s go through that door,” Dan says. Gavin nods and runs after him.

 

Before they could get there, though, one of the other doors open and a slew of infected pours out.

 

Dan kills several of them with well-placed shots to the head.

 

He drags a shocked Gavin through the hallway, dodging those he hadn’t managed to kill and ignoring the sound of guards shouting from the distance and people screaming in the check-in hall. They make it outside.

 

The sound of police cars coming in the airport perimeter could be heard. The two men run as fast as they can, dodging through the bushes and making their way to the nearest group of buildings. They end up in an abandoned alleyway a couple of blocks away from the airport.

 

“Those people, they...”

 

Dan nods breathlessly, running a hand through his hair. “It’s like one of those fucking films, innit?”

 

“This is mental,” Gavin agrees. “You’re mental.” He gestures to the semi-automatic SIG in his friend’s hand. “How on earth did you get that gun?”

 

Dan grimaced. “I… sort of knocked out one of the port authority blokes.”

 

Gavin’s eyebrows shot up to his forehead. “Dan!”

 

“I did what I had to do!” Dan said defensively. “You were going to get bit by that…thing.”

 

“Fucking Christ,” Gavin mutters, looking quite horrified at the situation. He turns and looks around at where they are. “What are we going to do now?”

 

“We have to find provisions and a car, and then we need to leave,” said Dan, tucking the pistol into the small of his back. “Or else we die.”

 

\--

**March 23, 2013, 10:15 | the Jones Household – Barton Apartments, Austin, TX**

“Michael, how many socks do you want me to pack?” Lindsay calls from the bedroom. She hears no response from her husband.

 

“Michael,” she calls out again. The man is probably too engrossed in whatever game he’s playing in the living room right now. Lindsay would join him, but their flight to Hawaii is in seven hours and they really haven’t done a lot of packing in the last few days. They’re going to have to rush.

 

“Dude, come on, I’m not gonna…” She walks out into the room to see Michael staring at the TV screen, his eyes wide in shock.

 

“What is it?” She asks, coming over to stand beside him and look at the screen.

 

A live feed of what looks to be the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport can be seen on the television. People are flocked outside the building, and police cars surrounded the area. Lindsay sees a couple of tanks rolling into view, and military personnel manning the perimeter, all armed with heavy artillery.

 

The headline below the video reads: _Mass Outbreak of Unknown Infection at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport_

A reporter is voicing over the live feed. “…airport security personnel are keeping a close eye on the matter at hand. Meanwhile, all people in the airport are put under quarantine until the causes and effects of said infection are studied and mitigated for the safety of everyone in the surrounding areas.”

“Oh my god,” Lindsay gasps as she stares at the television. She looks at Michael to see that his hand has tightened its grip on the couch’s arm.

 

“Gavin,” he says, looking very scared. “Gavin’s _there_ , Lindsay.”

 

Lindsay shakes herself out of the initial shock and grabs Michael’s phone from the coffee table. She hands it to him. “Call him. Quick.”

 

Michael takes the phone and pulls Gavin’s number up from his speed dial. They listen for several long, horrible moments before the Brit’s voice mail picked up the call.

 

_“Hello, this is Gavin. I’m not on the phone right now, so if just leave a message—”_

“Fuck!” Michael says, putting down the phone and looking up at Lindsay. “He’s not picking up!

 

“They might have blocked the signal within the airport perimeter,” says Lindsay, biting her lip worriedly.

 

Her husband stands up from the couch, his eyes determined. “I can’t take this, Linds. We need to go there and get Gav.”

 

“How?” Lindsay says, but she is already walking back to their room to grab her wallet and keys. “They’re quarantined. We won’t be able to get in.”

 

“Well, we can’t just sit here!” Michael rushes to the hall closet and takes out their jackets. “We don’t know what’s going to happen to those people.”

 

Lindsay reappears from their bedroom and strides over to Michael, grabbing him on both shoulders and looking him in the eye.

 

“Michael, calm down, okay? Take a deep breath.”

 

Michael opens his mouth to protest, but Lindsay stops him with a look. Her husband complies, closing his eyes and breathing in.

 

“Now breathe out. We need to go about this calmly.” Once the crazed look is gone from his eyes, Lindsay nods and gives him a small grin. “Okay, that’s good. Now, we’ll go to the airport, and we will wait until the port authority tells us anything about the quarantine, alright? Once they’re let out, we’ll pick them up and bring them back here.”

 

“Okay,” says Michael, swallowing and then running a hand through his hair. “Let’s do that.”

 

Lindsay smiles, giving him a kiss and leading the way out of the house. “Come on, let’s go save your damsel in distress.”

 

_“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!”_

The sound of a crash and the loud blaring of a car alarm follows the scream.

“What the fuck—” Michael runs to the door and opens it to find a man smashed to the top of a black sedan on one of the apartment driveways. He looks up to find another person on the balcony directly above the car, his jaws bloody and his skin sickly pale. The man growls back at him, a long line of drool dripping out of his wide, gaping mouth.

 

“Jesus fucking Christ,” says Lindsay, staring up at the man in horror.

 

“Get back inside.” Michael pushes his wife back into their apartment. Before they could close the door, though, a gunshot is heard, and another set of screams sound through the street, followed by the beating of several running footsteps.

 

A group of hungry zombies appears into view.

 

“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” Michael slams the door to their house, turning around to stare at Lindsay in shock.

 

“What on earth is happening?”

 

“Oh my god,” says Lindsay, aghast. “Are those actual _zombies_?”

 

Michael looks quite pale himself. Breathing heavily, he runs a hand through his hair, his expression of disbelief. “I—I guess they are. You saw those people. They’re not… normal. Or even alive.”

 

“How did that even happen?” Lindsay’s statement ends with a tone somewhat resembling hysteria.

 

Michael shakes his head. “I don’t know, babe. This thing… it’s not supposed to happen in _real life._ ”

 

Suddenly, Lindsay puts a hand over her mouth and gasps.

 

“So if there are zombies outside… The infection in the airport…” Her eyes widen at the sudden realisation.

 

Michael’s feels his heart plummet to his stomach. “No. Gavin.”

 

Lindsay doesn’t waste time standing in horror. She turns and runs back to their room, emerging after a couple of minutes carrying a large metal bat.

 

“Let’s go,” she says curtly, striding over to a surprised Michael.

 

“Where are you going?”

 

“We’re going to see if Gavin’s okay. Or do you want to stay?” Lindsay stops taps the bat on her palm impatiently. Her husband’s eyebrows disappear into the fringes of his locks for a moment, before he nods and sets his jaw.

 

“Gimme that,” says Michael, reaching for the weapon.

 

Lindsay shakes her head and hands him a pistol. “No. You get _this_. You’re a better shot than I am. Besides, I have bigger muscles.” She walks past him and puts her hand on the door. For a moment, her eyes look a bit frightened, but the expression disappears and Michael can see how much she needs their friends to just be _alive._

“You know I love you, right?” He says, cocking the pistol in his hand.

 

“We just got married yesterday, Michael,” says Lindsay, grinning back at him. “Of course I know that.”

 

And with that statement, she turns and opens the door to the blood-filled streets of Austin.

 

\--

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**March 23, 2014, 13:10 | Austin, Texas**

It becomes apparent as soon as Dan and Gavin goes out into the street that the outbreak of zombie infection is not concentrated on the airport alone. As soon as he spied one of the infected making his way towards them, Dan drags his friend into one of the abandoned cars, crashing the windows and diving under the dashboard to hot wire the engine.

 

“Since when did you learn how to steal cars?” Gavin asks, staring at Dan as he manages to jump start the car and drive into the pavement with an ease remarkable for a man used to driving on the other side of the lane.

 

“Something you learn in the army,” Dan mutters as he swerves away from an onslaught of zombies charging into the street.

 

“How are there so many of them already?” Gavin demands, his voice reaching something bordering on hysteria as stares in horror at the zombies flocking the streets and the people unlucky enough the get caught and bitten by the monsters.

 

“It’s a virus,” says Dan, furrowing his eyebrows as he tries to focus on not hitting anyone still alive while driving through the highway. “You know how it goes: the thing bites you, and—”

 

“Of course I know how it goes!” Gavin cuts him off. “But this is _insane!_ How are there zombies? Last time I checked, we’re not in a Walking Dead episode. This is real life. Why are there suddenly—JESUS FUCK!”

 

Dan narrowly avoids hitting a woman who bolts across the street and away from a zombie bent on consuming her flesh. The man resumes driving, his companion looking visibly shaken at the vehicle’s sudden movement.

 

“Nobody knows why this is happening, Gav,” says Dan. “What we need to do now is to get somewhere safe—somewhere we can barricade and stay for the night. So we can make plans on what to do next.”

 

Gavin takes a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. “Yes.” He says, swallowing. “Yes, I think we should do that.”

 

\--

 

**March 24, 2014, 1:00 | an abandoned house, Calgary Plains, Austin**

Dan is sitting in the living room, his newly acquired rifle resting beside his leg as he peers through the gap between the curtains, watching as zombie after zombie staggers past their front porch. Everyone still alive in the area may have barricaded themselves in their own houses, or have fled to a military safe zone, if not already dead and devoured. The streets are deadly quiet aside from the constant groaning of the infected. It’s probably the calmest point of their day, but Dan cannot help the way his hand jumps to the handle of his rifle every time a zombie stumbles into the house’s lawn.

 

He had already staked claim on the first watch, noting the way Gavin’s eyes had drooped in exhaustion once they managed to clear out the house of its dead and any random zombie that lingered within. It was a good thing they ran into a gun store overrun by the infected on their way to Calgary Plains, which meant they were able to scavenge some weapons and ammunition, which is essential to their survival. Gavin was barely able to shoot the zombies in the head, being untrained with guns as he is, but Dan took it upon himself to make sure that he took out most of any hoard they run into. Nevertheless, the day definitely took its toll on his friend. Dan may be used to running around all day and shooting at moving objects, but Gavin, spry as he is, is far from a trained killer. Dan knows it’s up to him to ensure that both of them survive. Which means taking most of the brunt of the zombie outbreak.

 

He hears the muffled sound of a television being opened in one of the bedrooms. He stands from his seat, taking his gun with him and turning away from the windows. It looks like the zombies will not attack unless they see or smell their prey. He walks into the corridors leading to the bedrooms, the noise of the TV growing louder as he draws near. He approaches an open door near the end of the hall and peeks in. Gavin is sitting on the bed, knees drawn onto his chest and his face ashen as he watches the news from one of the remaining network channels.

 

The television shows the army still trying to curb the onslaught of infected across the states, but it is apparent that the virus is spreading with a speed no one in the country seems capable of mitigating. Piles and piles of dismembered corpses could be seen through the feed, while many survivors seem to be under military protection.

 

 _“…the government is urging any remaining survivors not in the safe zones to come out and make their way to the nearest military checkpoint in their area.”_ The news reporter states on screen. Gavin turns his head and looks at Dan with worried eyes.

 

“Why did we leave the airport, Dan?” He asks, fear evident in his expression. “We were safe there. The military was going to protect us! Why did we have to leave?”

 

Dan shakes his head. “They were going to kill those people,” he says. “The airport was the first known site of the infection. Anyone who was in the airport during the time would’ve been put under mass execution in an effort to curb the disease—”

 

“How do you know that?” Gavin demands. “They’re supposed to take care of us, not kill us! How do you know they’re going to murder all those people just because of a virus—”

 

“Gavin, some on those people could’ve already been _bitten,_ ” says Dan, coming into the room and staring at his friend pleadingly. “They would’ve spread the virus in that huge hall, and the military would’ve been forced to shoot at them anyway. We fled because I didn’t want us to die, B. Don’t you trust me?”

 

“I…” Gavin draws his knees closer to himself. He seems so lost and small curled up in the large bed. “I’m sorry.” He closes his eyes and shakes his head. “I didn’t mean to doubt you, I just—”

 

“You’re tired,” Dan says, sitting on the bed and putting a hand on Gavin’s shoulder. “This day has been hard on us. You should go get some rest. I’m taking the first watch, anyway.”

 

“I can’t sleep,” says Gavin, chuckling wryly at the thought. “Not with this—this _thing_ looming over our heads every minute. I don’t…” He takes a deep breath and looks up at Dan. His eyes were wet and he looks like he’s in the verge of breaking down. “I don’t want to sleep and just wake up to see that you’ve already been eaten by those _monsters_ while I was dead to the world. I can’t do that, B. I _won’t._ ”

 

Dan could feel his heart bursting in his chest at the sudden wave of affection at his best friend’s words. He drops his rifle on the floor and grabs Gavin by the arm, pulling him into a tight embrace.

 

“I won’t let myself die, B,” he says into the man’s shoulder as he draws him closer. “Not while you’re still here. We’ve been together for too long to give up on each other.”

 

Gavin doesn’t respond, but Dan can feel him sniffle into his neck as one of his hands grabbed at the fabric of his shirt. “Are—are you crying?” He asks, smiling slightly at the thought of Gavin shedding tears _for him._

 

“Shut up,” came Gavin’s muffled response, holding him tighter before he pulls away. His eyes are still wet and his nose red from crying. He’s looking anywhere but at Dan.

 

“You’re adorable, Gav,” Dan says, smiling wider at the sight, and Gavin punches him on the arm.

 

“Stop it, I’m not a girl,” he grumbles, and Dan chuckles, taking his arm and pulling it down to stare at him fondly.

 

“I know you’re not, B.” He hears Gavin take a deep breath as his eyes meet Dan’s, looking up at him with something like dawning realisation. “I, uh—”

 

He could see Gavin inching closer, the space between them getting smaller and their breaths mingling.

 

He sees Gavin lick his lips, the flesh becoming shiny and wet as he does so, and it sends tingles down his spine and to his groin. _Holy fuck. Is this really happening?_

“What are we doing, Gav?” He whispers, his breath husky as he feels the distance between them drawing to a close.

 

“…I don’t know,” Gavin replies, before his eyes flutter shut and all Dan could feel is his lips pressing softly against his own.

 

 _Oh god. Breathe, Dan. You can do this._ He tightens his grip on Gavin’s arm and the man responds by moving his mouth against Dan’s, a soft sound coming from his throat as he feels his friend inch closer towards him on the bed. A hand grips his shirt again, this time pulling his chest against Gavin’s own, the feeling of which effectively breaking what is left of Dan’s self-control.

 

He releases Gavin’s arm and puts his hands on the man’s hips, pushing him tight against his torso and sneaking out a tongue to seek permission into his mouth. Gavin complies with a small moan, bringing a hand to wrap around his neck for support.

 

Dan doesn’t know how to describe the feeling of being able to explore Gavin’s mouth like it was his own, and for his friend to respond like his life depended on it. It is as if years of yearning and watching from afar has led to this moment, to a night brought upon by a sudden tragedy and Gavin suddenly looking at him like he means _something,_ something more than just that bloke you spent a majority of your teenage years goofing around and playing pranks on people with. Dan had seen his friend look at only a few people the same way: Andrea, that pretty redhead in their class during fifth form, Sam, a smiley bloke he had met while doing some slow-motion camera work for a film in London, and of course _Michael,_ who, up till that night, had solely dominated Gavin’s world without even knowing it.

 

But right now, Dan knows it’s him whom Gavin needs. Or maybe even _wants._ It fuels his desire as he plunders Gavin’s mouth with his tongue, snaking a hand under his shirt as he growls into his lips with a passion borne from years of simply _waiting._ Gavin moans and lets him pull the fabric of his shirt up, breaking away from the kiss to allow Dan to remove the cotton material and throw it away across the room.

 

Dan pauses to stare at the handsome, breathless man before him, his lips shining with spit and his cheeks blushing red. There is a bulge evident through his boxers, straining through the material as Gavin leans back, his own blue eyes heavy-lidded with want.

 

“Gavin,” he says, curling his hands into fists before he can do anything they may both regret. “Are you sure you want to—”

 

“Not a girl, Dan,” he growls, and leaps from his position to tackle the man out of his own clothing. He straddles Dan as soon as he discards his shirt, grinding into him and _moaning_ like a wanton whore.

 

“Jesus, B,” Dan breathes out as he feels Gavin’s erection slide against his through the thin cloth of their boxers. He puts a hand on his arse to draw him closer, nibbling his ear as he spoke. “Don’t just—you’re too fucking sexy for your own good, you know that?”

 

Gavin only grinds back in response, throwing back his head to bare his neck for Dan’s taking. Dan accepts the offering and sucks a mark onto the pale flesh, relishing as Gavin shudders at the sensation. He snakes a hand down through his boxers and grabs Gavin’s cock, his thumb teasing the slit and spreading the precome across the slippery surface of his crown.

 

“Dan!” Gavin moans at that, his hips bucking at the feel of Dan working his erection, hands gripping his arms tighter with every sweep of his thumb across his cock’s wet head.

 

“Do you like that, Gav?” Dan whispers in his ear, squeezing his arse with his other hand. “Do you like it when I touch your cock?”

 

“Oh god—yes,” Gavin breathes, his dick twitching in his hand as he pulls along the shaft in long, agonising movements. “B, stop for a moment.”

 

“What’s wrong?” Dan asks, ceasing his hand on Gavin’s dick. The man smiles at him, putting out a hand to pull the zipper of Dan’s trousers down and bring his straining cock out of its confines. It juts out in the cool night air, hard and responsive, and Gavin lowers his hips down to brush his cock against Dan’s erection.

 

He growls at the contact, feeling the sensation wash over him and relishing the sight of Gavin’s dick pressed against his own. Gavin bites his lip and reaches out to wrap both of their cocks in one warm hand, his thumb mingling the precome gathering on the tip.

 

“Jesus _fuck,_ Gavin,” he cries out as the man starts jerking both of their cocks in slow intervals, using the wetness of their precome as lube. Dan grabs Gavin’s arse and pulls him down to the bed, catching his mouth in a wet kiss as Gavin moves his hand up and down their shafts, each solitary motion making both of them shudder with pent up lust. Dan puts a hand to join Gavin’s, and their pace increases as the need mounts to a whole new level.

 

“Dan, I…” Gavin moans into the kiss as he shudders against Dan, his hand working their dicks in a seamless blur.

 

Dan bites Gavin’s bottom lip in response and travels down to nibble at his jaw as he spoke. “What is it, B?”

 

“I’m…ah…I’m close,” Gavin whispers, eyes fluttering shut at the sensations caused by both of their palms. The slick sound of their sex rubbing against each other dominated the room, and it almost drove Dan to the brink.

 

Dan grips their cocks tighter and increases the speed on his hand, his thumb sweeping across the tips and spreading the gathered wetness around. Gavin moans and hugs him tighter as he bucks into his hand.

 

“Come for me, Gav,” he breathes into Gavin’s skin, latching onto the flesh and leaving an angry, red mark.

 

Gavin lets go at that, throwing his head back and whimpering as his come went out in spurts, drenching both their cocks in the process. Dan follows soon after, driven to the edge by the sight of Gavin’s come coating his own dick. Gavin lets go of their cocks and captures his mouth in a kiss as he rides out his high, while Dan groans and continues to pull at their dicks until he milks out the last of their come.

 

He waits until Gavin softens against him, and he leans over to plant a kiss on his forehead, wondering at the sight of his friend pliant and sexed out. Gavin blushes at the gesture, and buries his head in the pillows.

 

“That was top,” he mutters, peeking out of the pillows to look at Dan, who smiles at his antics.

 

“Yes, it was,” he agrees, grabbing the covers and pulling it over the two of them. “Now sleep. We’re going to have a long day ahead of us.”

 

Dan watches as Gavin closes his eyes and his breath evens out into long, exhausted pulls. He waits for another half hour, just watching the man’s serene face as he floats off into dreamland, before he climbs out of the bed and puts on his pants. He retrieves his shirt from somewhere around the bed, grabs his rifle and walks back into the living room.

 

The night remains quiet. But Dan knows what is still out there, waiting for them to drop their guard and become easy prey.

 

He sits back on his chair, his eyes trained on the gap between the curtains, years of military training taking over as he takes a deep breath and resigns himself to a sleepless night.

 

After what happened, he’s not about to let anyone, let alone these monsters, take Gavin from him. Even if it costs him his life in the process.

 

\--


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It wasn’t until the day after the wedding, when everything suddenly turned to shit and they were forced out of their small bubble by a whirlwind of death and carnage, that Michael realised there were other things in life he cherished. That there were other people he needed, not just Lindsay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Right, so how many months has it been? *ducks from flying objects*

**March 23, 2014, 10:40 | Austin, TX**

When Michael Jones first came to Rooster Teeth, fresh-faced and barely out of a life working nine-to-five in minimum wage jobs, he thought he’d already struck gold.

 

Because, you’ve got to be honest—where else would people pay you to play video games and scream profanity at things? Opportunities like this didn’t come up every so often, and Michael knew he wasn’t about to let the job go if someone held him at gunpoint and told him to.

 

Plus, the company wasn’t too bad, either. The people in Rooster Teeth were _awesome,_ that much was evident as soon as he stepped inside the famed office in Austin.

 

He’d imagined that his life would then be a slew of OKs. He had cool friends, a nice apartment, and a job that paid well enough to sustain his meagre lifestyle. He really didn’t think much of it. Michael didn’t feel like he’d reached the top of his game, but he certainly didn’t know if there was anything else he could ask for. As far as he knew, he was already content.

 

But then he met Lindsay Tuggey.

 

If one didn’t know Michael, they would’ve thought settling down with a beautiful redhead who understood his strong need to be a video game geek without so much as an alternative life plan was him living out his nerd dream. Well, that was how it looked on paper, but as far as Michael was concerned, he’d somehow managed to acquire something _more._

Lindsay wasn’t just beautiful, or enabling, or fun to be with. She wasn’t just great in bed or awesome with his friends. In a short span of time, Lindsay had managed to take over his life and made him question everything he’d known about women in general.

 

She was a wholly _different_ individual—in a sea of deviants, rule-breakers, and savants all holed up in one company building—and she captured his attention like nobody else ever did.

 

Lindsay was entirely comfortable in her own skin, confident yet modest in her ways, and was just so _nice_ that nobody could ever find it in themselves to get mad at her for anything at all. She was bumbling and clumsy, awkward at most times yet seemingly unconcerned about it, not really caring that she wasn’t conventionally attractive, and played to her own strengths like it came easily to her—easier than Michael ever had for himself. And when he’d started making his interest known, Lindsay treated Michael’s affection like it was something she _deserved_. Not something complicated or questionable, unlike all the girls he’d ever been with before.

 

She made everything so easy, so _right._ And Michael was struck dumb by how simple it was to fall in love with her.

 

Everyone thought Lindsay was the one head-over-heels for Michael, Achievement Hunter’s poster boy and—bafflingly (at least to himself)—considered one of the most popular men in the company and subsequently to their audience, but in truth it was the other way around. Michael had fallen for her and, as much as he tried to hide it, he would do anything to have her in his life forever.

 

So he proposed, and Lindsay accepted. They got married the year after.

 

And just like that, Michael experienced this familiar feeling of forgetting the notion of _want._ Because he’s got everything he ever desired—well, everything that mattered, anyway. What else could he ask for?

 

It wasn’t until the day after the wedding, when everything suddenly turned to shit and they were forced out of their small bubble by a whirlwind of death and carnage, that Michael realised there were other things in life he cherished. That there were other people he _needed,_ not just Lindsay.

 

Which is why he’s now sitting in a car and driving like a madman across a street filled with strong, murderous undead, all hell-bent on consuming whatever life they stumble across. Lindsay, whose hands are wrapped around her metal bat that her knuckles are starting to turn white, shoots out one arm to grab for purchase when Michael swerves the car sideways to avoid a slew of infected.

 

“Fuck, Michael, slow down!” Lindsay says, turning her head to glare at him in frightened indignation. “Are you planning to get us killed?!”

 

“Trying to keep us alive, more like,” Michael grits out as he steadies his hands on the wheel. They’re shaking, and he tries to hide it by gripping the steering wheel tighter than he has to. He doesn’t know if he’s scared for them, or scared for Gavin. All he knows is that he wouldn’t be able to bear it if one of them ends up dead.

 

He won’t be able to sit at home, wringing his hands and hoping Gavin is okay when he knows the man is in danger, or—or—

 

Michael takes a shuddering breath and focuses on the windshield, willing himself to believe that this is worth it, rushing to save his best friend’s life when they could be just running away to preserve theirs. That he and Lindsay will be able to make it through this day without being eaten by these monters, and that they will be able to find Gavin alive and well in the airport, safe under the protection of the armed forces.

 

He notices Lindsay fumbling through their glove compartment out of the corner of his eye. “What are you doing?” he asks, glancing at her.

 

“I’m calling all our other friends,” Lindsay says, biting her lip as she concentrates on finding her phone. “Making sure they’re all right.”

 

The _because you were so focused on Gavin’s well-being that you forgot about them_ is left hanging in the air, unsaid yet ringing in Michael’s ears like Lindsay had shouted the words. He sets his jaw and continues driving through the streets, glad that the hoard is thinning as they progress, and tries to quell the guilty feeling creeping through his gut.

 

“Hey—hey Ray?” Lindsay is barking into the phone. “Are you okay? Where are you right now?”

 

Michael hears muffled talking through the device, and inwardly heaves a sigh, glad that Ray is still alive. The man lives alone, which means he’s going to have to fend for himself at least until he finds help.

 

Michael ignores the feeling of dread that accompanies that particular thought.

 

After a moment of talking, Lindsay drops the phone and, as expected, takes a breath before turning to Michael. “Ray needs someone to get him out of there.”

 

Michael swallows and doesn’t look away from the windshield. “We’re too far from his apartment.”

 

They’re about several miles away from the airport too, but Lindsay doesn’t point that out and instead nods, raising her phone up to dial another number.

 

“Griffon? Are you—oh, thank _god._ ”

 

Michael keeps silent as Lindsay continues to listen to Griffon’s report of what happened, and then as she relays to them that Ray is still stuck in his house without assistance. He hears Lindsay exhale a breath of relief after a moment, and somehow this calms his nerves, too.

 

“They’re gonna go get Ray,” she says, after she drops her phone and turns to look at Michael. “Griffon’s got her chainsaw and everything.”

 

“That’s—that’s good,” Michael says, a weight lifted off his chest at the news. “I hope they all get out of it safe.”

 

“I told them we’re on our way to get Gavin,” Lindsay says. There’s a moment of silence for she speaks again. “You do know he’s with Dan, right?”

 

Honestly? The thought never occurred to Michael, and now he’s reminded by the fact that someone more capable than both of them can actually ensure Gavin’s safety. Michael finds that he doesn’t care.

 

He keeps his eyes on the road as he replies. “Oh, um. Yeah, but—”

 

“But you still wanna make sure, I get it,” Lindsay says, softly this time, and Michael’s never been more thankful that she’s the person he married.

 

“After this,” he says, after a moment, turning to look at Lindsay. “After we get Gavin, we’ll—”

 

“Michael, slow down.” Lindsay cuts into his words, and he looks to the road to find that there’s a couple of huge 4WDs blocking the highway exit. Several men clad in military camo are flocking the roadblocks, all holding assault rifles and shifting their attention to Michael’s approaching vehicle.

 

He slows down to a stop several feet away from the blockage. There are no zombies walking around the area, Michael observes, seeing as the soldiers probably cleared the hoard out before they settled in. But he knows there’s only a short time before the rest of the infected finds their way there.

 

Michael leans back into his seat, brow furrowed in worry as he and Lindsay watches one of the soldiers make his way toward the car. “What do you think they’re gonna say?” Lindsay asks, and Michael shakes his head.

 

“I dunno,” he says, “but I don’t think we’re gonna like it.”

 

“I’m sorry, ma’am, sir, but the road here is blocked,” says the soldier as he approaches, leaning down to peer into the car at Michael and Lindsay’s faces.

 

“But we have to—”

 

“We’ve set up several safe houses around the city,” the soldier continues, barrelling over Michael’s protest like he didn’t even hear it. “All survivors must find the nearest one and stay there until the situation is mitigated.”

 

“You don’t understand!” Michael insists, feeling his temper rise as he struggles to reason with the guard. “We have a friend. He’s in the airport and we need to—”

 

“Michael.” He feels Lindsay grip his arm tightly, and he turns his head to yell at her only to see the trepidation in her eyes. She gestures toward the roadblock, where most of the soldiers seem to be cocking their weapons at the car. “Don’t.” She adds, pleading.

 

Michael looks back at her and nods, swallowing the knot that had apparently formed in his throat after hearing the soldier’s words. “Fine,” he says, eventually, and turns back to the soldier.

 

“We’ll head back, officer,” he concedes, and the soldier nods, the dangerous glint that had formed in his eyes taming down into a shrewd stare.

 

“That’ll be great, sir,” he says, and points toward the road Michael and Lindsay had passed through. “The nearest safe house is about a mile from here. It’s the community centre near the park. We have a lot of guards around the perimeter, so you can make it there without so much trouble from the infected.”

 

“Thanks,” says Michael through gritted teeth, and backs the car from the military road block.

 

“We can wait in the safe house,” Lindsay says, watching Michael keenly as he swerves back into the line and drives away from the blockage. “Try and call Gavin again, you know, see if he’s all right? A lot of our friends will probably make it there, too.”

 

“I can’t believe they’re locking us down,” Michael mutters, gripping the steering wheel tight. “Are they planning to let us rot here? What do they think they’re—”

 

“They’re trying to keep us safe,” Lindsay says, but there’s a shaky quality to her voice that tells Michael she highly doubts this, too.

 

They drive in silence for a few moments, with Michael silently fuming in his seat. It’s not long before he’s turning the car to the side of the road and stopping it there, much to Lindsay’s surprise.

 

“Michael, what’s wrong?” she asks, concerned.

 

“We _can’t_ stay here!” Michael says angrily, slamming a fist at the steering wheel. “Gavin’s—Gavin’s out there and we’re just gonna—”

 

“Michael,” Lindsay says, trying to be reasonable, but he’s sure she _knows_ what he means. She knows why they can’t just stay put, like the military wants them to. “Mike, Dan’s with him. I’m pretty sure he’s f—”

 

“I want to _know,_ all right? I want him here, with us!” Michael snaps, and Lindsay flinches in her seat. “What if—what if it’s not really safe, staying in big groups? What if Gavin gets caught in all of it and he dies? What do you think is gonna happen if—”

 

“God fucking dammit!” He freezes when Lindsay slams her hand against the side of her seat, looking angrier than he’s ever seen her. “Fucking get out of the car.”

 

“…What?” Michael asks, bewildered.

 

Lindsay shakes her head, looking like she’s inches away from wringing his neck. “I said. Get. Out. Of the car.”

 

Michael follows suit, because it’s never wise to mess with Lindsay when she’s being like this, and watches in confusion as Lindsay gets out too, carrying her metal bat with her.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

“We’re switching places!” Lindsay says, the expression on her face daring Michael to challenge her. “Get into the passenger seat. I’m driving.”

 

“But—”

 

“You wanna save Gavin so much, right? Get the fuck in there, then!”

 

When they’ve finally managed to switch seats, Lindsay starts the car and swerves back to the lane leading to the road block.

 

“Where are we fucking going?” Michael asks, frightened, because Lindsay is driving the car _really fast_ and it doesn’t seem like she doesn’t have any intention of stopping soon. Even when he sees the soldiers springing into action just several metres ahead of them.

 

“Lindsay! Fuck—stop the car! We’re gonna—”

 

“Make sure your seatbelt’s fastened,” is all Lindsay says, before she’s driving the car onto the side of the block, and Michael braces himself and ducks because she’s going as fast as 70 miles per hour and she’s not fucking stopping and the soldiers are already firing at them, shattering their windows like Michael’s only seen in those fucking action movies. He keeps his head low, his heart hammering in his throat and his hands clenched into fists, as Lindsay continues to keep the vehicle moving, not even stopping as they feel one of their wheels pop and the sound of metal grinding against asphalt is heard from inside the car.

 

It’s not until he feels Lindsay careening into a stop that Michael looks up, staring at his wife like she’s suddenly grown another pair of heads.

 

“What the fuck?!” he says, his voice bordering on hysteria.

 

Lindsay is panting in front of him, sweat dripping from her head and blood trickling down the side of her face where she’s probably grazed something sharp. “I got us out,” she says, blinking at Michael like she can’t believe she did it, herself.

 

“That’s all you have to say?!” Michael asks again, his tone high-pitched in sheer panic. He wonders if they’re being pursued by the soldiers, and if they’ve gotten far enough to get a head start.

 

“We have to get out of here,” Lindsay echoes Michael’s thoughts, and moves to get out of the car.

 

“Wait—what—”

 

“Our fucking tire’s popped! You think we can get to the city with three wheels?!” Lindsay glares at him to _get a fucking move on._ Michael clambers out of the car, face ashen and still bewildered as fuck, but Lindsay grabs him by the arm and sprints into the thick woods lining the side of the road.

 

He hears the rumble of vehicles in hot pursuit, and Michael’s suddenly fucking _glad_ that at least one of them has kept her presence of mind. Or else they’d have had bullet holes carved into their skulls by now.

 

He lets Lindsay lead him deeper into the woods, his other hand grabbing the gun from the back of his pants and pulling it out just in case it might be needed.

 

“Don’t shoot anything unless you really have to,” says Lindsay, and Michael turns to look at her.

 

“What? We’ve gone through all the Walking Dead episodes. I’m not risking it.”

 

Michael takes a shuddering breath and nods, because Lindsay is making sense, much as he hates to admit. “Do you have a plan?”

 

Lindsay huffs out a laugh. “Fuck, no.”

 

Michael pulls her to a stop and levels her with a glare. “We need a fucking plan, okay? Because we’re stuck in the woods, and now we have to—”

 

“The plan is, we fucking get out before nightfall,” Lindsay says, matching his stare with her own, angry one. “Look, do you want to get Gavin or not?”

 

“Of course I do!”

 

“Then trust me! We have to keep moving on.” Lindsay says, this time sounding earnest, but the fire in her eyes is still there, and Michael knows she’s doing all of this for _him_.

 

He’s still mad at her for just riskingtheir lives like that, but he guesses Lindsay’s got a handle on the situation more than he does. More than he’ll ever do, at any rate.

 

“Fine,” he says grudgingly, and Lindsay nods, before turning back to walk deeper into the woods.

 

\--

 

**March 24, 2014, 5:00 | an abandoned house, Calgary Plains, Austin**

Gavin is woken up with a strong urge to pee. He sits up on the bed, wincing as he feels his muscles throb at the sudden movement.

 

 _Oh god._ He groans and rubs a hand across his face as he remembers the events that transpired just a day ago, ending with…with him and Dan doing _things_ in a desperate attempt to quell their fear of losing each other to this stupid, bloody tragedy. He looks down to see his own come still caked on his abdomen, and winces.

 

_I have to take a shower._

He knows Dan is still outside, still awake despite being so tired from all the running and fighting and keeping Gavin safe, and he just wants to go out and drag him to bed and keep him there until he’s okay again, until Gavin’s sure Dan won’t just faint in exhaustion once they get back on the road. But he also knows Dan won’t let him, because he’s protective as hell, and Gavin’s pleading would just be in vain.

 

He doubts Dan would even let him take the next watch. Probably won’t trust him to hold up the house with a rifle of his own and live through it.

 

Gavin frowns, because he knowshe’s just about as useful to Dan as a barrel of apples is to a fire fight, but his best friend needs to let him help. Because they won’t be able to live through this without holding each other up through it all.

 

He climbs out of the bed, grimacing as his bare feet touches the carpet and he realises he’s completely starkers, which leads to another blushing episode over the memories of what happened just a few hours ago. Gavin isn’t sure he knows what he actually feels about it, but the fact that it was Dan made him feel…safe. He doesn’t know what else, but Dan’s familiar warmth shifting against him is something Gavin doesn’t feel like he should be afraid of, not with everything that’s happening now.

 

He and Dan will probably just have to figure this out later, when they get the chance.

 

Gavin finds his boxers, pulls them on, and walks over to the pile of clothes he set down on the dresser and grabs them. He notices a hard bulk in his jean pocket, and reaches in it to find his phone.

 

He’s completely forgotten about it, with the running and shooting zombies in the face and all.

 

He unlocks it to see several missed calls and messages from different people, ranging from Geoff to Barbara, all asking if he’s all right. He scrolls through them, feeling an extreme relief at the fact that most of his friends are still alive. He frowns, though, when he doesn’t see anything from Michael.

 

_Figures._

 

He’s about to pull on his pants and try to answer the messages when his phone lights up and vibrates silently in his hand, signalling a new call.

 

 ** _Lindsay Tuggey_** _,_ he sees at the screen. Does that mean she and Michael are…?

 

He slides the icon on the screen to answer the call as quick as he can, and presses the device to his ear. “Lindsay?”

 

_“Oh, thank fuck! I’m glad you’re alive!”_

 

He hears Michael talking in the background, his words incomprehensible, but it brings a surge of something _strong_ through Gavin’s chest, and his hands tighten around his phone. He fights the sob threatening to burst out of his throat and tries to keep his voice steady as he talks.

 

“Where are you right now?” he asks, because the fact that they’re both alive means they’ve found somewhere safe to stay, didn’t they? Gavin feels his initial euphoria change into worry at the thought of Michael and Lindsay still in danger, and he asks again. “Are you safe?”

 

 _“We’re in—”_ Lindsay’s answer is cut off and Gavin hears her protesting as the phone is yanked from her hands.

 

_“Gavin?”_

 

There it is again, the strong urge to just _sob_ in relief at the voice of Michael, alive and strong and saying his name like he’s trying to make sure it’s really him. Gavin steadies himself and presses on.

 

“Michael, it’s me. Where are you?”

 

 _“We’re on our way to the airport,”_ says Michael. He sounds breathless, like he’d been running from something for hours on end. Gavin’s eyes widen at the statement.

 

“You’re on your—Michael, what the bloody _fuck_?!”

 

 _“We’re getting you out, all right?”_ Michael says, like that’s even bloody possible, that mangey idiot. _“It’s not safe to stay there if it’s—”_

 

“Look, Michael, we got out, okay? We’re not in the airport anymore,” Gavin says, because he’s pretty sure Michael won’t _even_ make it through the city if he tries. “Please don’t go there. It’s not safe.”

 

There’s a pause, like Michael’s trying to gather his thoughts, before he speaks again. _“So you’re safe?”_

 

“I am,” Gavin assures him, and something clicks into place. “ _You’re_ not safe,” he adds, his voice accusing, because what the fuck was Michael thinking, coming after him like that? He ignores the happy bubble it sends through his chest, and focuses on the fact that Michael might be in danger because of him.

 

“Where are you? Tell me, please.”

 

There’s another moment of silence, and Gavin’s sure he’s seconds away from vomiting because of the mounting worry in his gut when Michael speaks again. _“We’re in the—we’re in the woods.”_

 

“What?!” He yells into the phone, not caring that he’s probably startled Dan in the other room. He hears the footsteps making their way into the bedroom, and knows that Dan’s coming in to check on him. “What the _fuck_ are you two doing in there?”

 

 _“It’s not too far from the city,”_ says Michael defensively, and Gavin can hear Lindsay talking urgently somewhere beside him. _“Listen, Gav, we can’t stay long. We need to find a way out of here so we can get to—”_

 

“You’re _not_ going into the city, you wanker!” Gavin says hotly, shaking his head at Dan who appears into the doorway, looking quite concerned. “You’re gonna die in there. It’s overrun by those monsters!”

 

_“Well, what do you—Linds, just—”_

_“ **I’m** gonna talk to him, okay?!” _ He hears the phone being passed again, and Lindsay’s voice speaks into his ear. _“Gav, where are you? Can we get to your place?”_

“We’re in Calgary Plains,” says Gavin. “It’s just a couple of miles away from the city.”

 

_“Okay. Okay. We can find a way to get there. Can you—”_

“Are you mental? You can’t get here on foot!” Gavin says, because they’re a pair of idiots, the both of them. He turns to Dan desperately, who’s come to stand beside him, his brow furrowed as he listens to Gavin bark at the phone. “Dan, we have to get them!”

 

“Is that—”

 

“It’s Michael and Lindsay,” Gavin says, feeling like there’s no time to explain, because they’re vulnerable out there in the woods at the bloody crack of dawn. “We can’t leave them to die when they went through all that just to see if we’re safe!”

 

Dan looks like he’s having qualms about it, but the worry and fear in Gavin’s eyes is something he can never ignore. Gavin stands in front of him, listening to Michael and Lindsay talk to each other through the phone, and shaking at the possibilities of what might happen if they just leave them there. Dan lets out a breath and nods.

 

“Put some clothes on. We leave in ten minutes.”

 

\--


End file.
